Current therapy approaches of the division of cancer treatment with emphasis on pancreatic carcinoma

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Abstract
This paper outlines the background of the National Cancer Institute clinical drug testing program and introduces current concepts for integrating this program into disease‐oriented combined modality approaches to the primary treatment of cancer. The combined modality thrust involves chemotherapy, surgery, and/or radiotherapy and is illustrated by treatment protocols for adenocarcinoma of the pancreas developed by the Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group organized by the NCI Division of Cancer Treatment. One study seeks a controlled evaluation of postoperative treatment with 5‐Fluorouracil and supervoltage radiation for improving disease‐free interval and survival in ductal, acinar, and undifferentiated variety of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The other study compares the effectiveness of high‐dose radiation alone or with 5‐FU and medium‐dose radiation plus 5‐FU in localized but unresectable disease. A number of other combined modality approaches planned or in progress within the National Cancer Institute are briefly discussed.